Caerphilly Observer
Member Sign in Manage Membership
Become a Member - no ads
Menu
  • News
    • Senedd
    • Business
    • Newport
    • Opinion
  • Sport
    • Rugby union
    • Football
  • Membership & Subscriptions
  • Notices
  • Obituaries
  • About
    • Advertise
  • Sponsored Content
Menu

Call for action over confusion with TfW’s Pay As You Go scheme

News | Rhys Williams | Published: 11:36, Wednesday September 24th, 2025.
Last updated: 11:36, Wednesday September 24th, 2025

Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Commuters on the Ebbw Valley line can now pay using tap in tap out
The tap-in, tap-out payment scheme was launched last year

A Conservative shadow minister has called for action to prevent rail passengers being penalised when using Transport for Wales’ (TfW) new Pay As You Go (PAYG) scheme

The scheme, introduced last year, allows passengers to pay for journeys using a contactless tap-on and tap-off system.

However, this method is currently only available for Transport for Wales (TfW) and Cross Country services.

Passengers who use this payment scheme and then travel using a different train company could be forced to pay again for the correct fares.

Baroness Olivia Bloomfield, who is the shadow parliamentary-under secretary of state for Wales, raised her concerns with TfW this week.

Baroness Olivia Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist, who is the shadow parliamentary-under secretary of state for Wales in the House of Lords
Baroness Olivia Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist, who is the shadow parliamentary-under secretary of state for Wales in the House of Lords

Baroness Bloomfield, who sits in the House of Lords, said: “Given we are living in the age of digital I warmly welcome this new initiative, which will undoubtedly encourage more people to make greater use of our vital train service in Wales.

“However, I am concerned that some passengers, through no fault of their own, have faced being financially penalised because they were unaware that the payment scheme only extends to certain train operators.”

She explained: “For instance, I know of one person who used the Pay As You Go (PAYG) scheme at Newport to get to Cardiff but travelled using Great Western Railway, which does not accept the payment type.

£1 bus fares for 16 to 21-year-olds launched in Wales

“TfW needs to launch a more visible campaign to raise greater awareness of how this payment method actually works, before more people are impacted.”

In response, TfW said it was looking at ways to further expand and simplify the PAYG scheme.

A TfW spokesperson said: “More than 1.5 million journeys have now been made using our tap-in, tap-out PAYG system. It’s great to see so many customers embracing this convenient and simple way of travelling, a success supported by our digital campaigns that highlight the benefits and validity of the scheme.

“While PAYG isn’t currently accepted on Great Western Railway services, ongoing conversations have been in place between both parties since the scheme began, to explore how we can expand this popular scheme further and simplify the overall customer proposition.”

Senedd debates petition to reopen railway line connecting north and south Wales

Sign-up to our daily newsletter


Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.

Become a member today

TfW
Welsh Conservatives

Latest News

  • Behind the numbers: What the Caerphilly by-election poll revealsFriday, October 17, 2025
  • Around 100 people attended the event at Ty Penallta
    Ukrainians’ concerns over Nation of Sanctuary ‘misinformation’Friday, October 17, 2025
  • polling station sign
    Council clarifies which areas can vote in upcoming Senedd by-electionFriday, October 17, 2025
  • Claim council went ‘over the top’ cancelling meetings ahead of by-electionFriday, October 17, 2025
  • Michelle Morris, the public services ombudsman for Wales
    Watchdog ‘stretched to limit’ amid deluge of complaintsFriday, October 17, 2025
  • Commuters on the Ebbw Valley line can now pay using tap in tap out
    1.5 million train journeys made using ‘tap-in, tap-out’ payment systemFriday, October 17, 2025

Find out how the communities of Caerphilly County Borough get their names

Caerphilly

Legal & Public Notices

  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, October 16, 2025
  • Caerphilly County Borough Council public noticesThursday, October 2, 2025
  • Notice of application for a premises licence: Hanbury Road, BargoedThursday, September 25, 2025
  • Notice of application for a variation of a premises licence: Pontygwindy Industrial EstateThursday, September 18, 2025
© 2009-2024 Caerphilly Media Ltd, Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community Watford Road Caerphilly, CF83 1BJ. Incorporated in Wales No. 07604006.